"Having two aircraft systems at once is too much." Sweden explains Ukraine's refusal of Gripen

Sweden was ready to transfer Gripen multi-role fighter jets to Ukraine, but Kyiv refused them, deciding that having two aircraft systems simultaneously – both F-16 and Gripen – was too much, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström told in an interview with Voice of America.

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Responding to a question about why Sweden decided to suspend providing Gripen to Ukraine, Billström said: "This decision was made because Ukraine concluded that having two aircraft systems simultaneously – both F-16 and Gripen – was too much."

He explained that when it comes to aircraft, it's not just about receiving them and training pilots. These are complex systems, and implementing two of them simultaneously would be too difficult.

"But this does not mean that Sweden is not open to continuing with the Gripens if and when the F-16 program is completed.  Again, this is Ukraine's decision, not the Swedish government's," the official said.

Read also: F-16s on their way to Ukraine, Blinken says